Systems and Methods For Manufacturing Cast Silicon
AssigneeBP Corporation North America Inc.
InventorsNathan G. Stoddard, Roger F. Clark
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Apparatus and methods are provided for manufacturing cast silicon. The systems and methods include a plurality of inductive coils configured to form a space to contain molten silicon, and configured to generate an electromagnetic field when an electrical current is supplied to the inductive coils to support the molten silicon so that a gap is maintained in a portion of the space between at least one substantially vertical wall of the molten silicon and at least one of the inductive coils, and when a portion of the molten silicon solidifies into a solid silicon ingot as the molten silicon is cooled by the cooling device, a concave liquid/solid interface is formed between the molten silicon and the solid silicon ingot.
Claims75
An apparatus for manufacturing cast silicon, comprising:
- a plate;
- a cooling device;
- molten silicon;
- and
- a plurality of inductive coils configured to form a space to contain the molten silicon, and configured to generate an electromagnetic field when an electrical current is supplied to the inductive coils to support the molten silicon so that a gap is maintained in a portion of the space between at least one substantially vertical wall of the molten silicon and at least one of the inductive coils, and when a portion of the molten silicon solidifies into a solid silicon ingot as the molten silicon is cooled by the cooling device, a liquid/solid interface is formed between the molten silicon and the solid silicon ingot such that at the liquid/solid interface the solid silicon ingot is convex toward the interface and the liquid molten silicon is concave toward the interface.
A method of manufacturing cast silicon, comprising:
- placing at least one silicon seed on a plate;
- placing molten silicon onto the at least one seed;
- supplying an electrical current to a plurality of inductive coils;
- generating an electromagnetic field with the plurality of inductive coils to exert a force upon the molten silicon and form a gap between at least one substantially vertical wall of the molten silicon and at least one of the inductive coils;
- and
- cooling the molten silicon from the plate.
A method of manufacturing cast silicon, comprising:
- placing at least one silicon seed on a plate;
- placing a silicon feedstock onto the at least one seed;
- supplying an electrical current to a plurality of inductive coils;
- generating heat with the plurality of inductive coils to melt at least a portion of the silicon feedstock into molten silicon;
- generating an electromagnetic field with the plurality of inductive coils to exert a force upon the molten silicon and form a gap between at least one substantially vertical wall of the molten silicon and at least one of the inductive coils;
- and
- cooling the molten silicon from the plate to solidify at least a portion of the molten silicon into solid silicon ingot, wherein a liquid/solid interface between the molten silicon and the solid silicon ingot has a concave shape.
An apparatus for manufacturing cast silicon, comprising:
- a plate;
- a cooling device;
- molten silicon;
- at least one inductive coil;
- and
- a crucible having at least one crucible wall vertically aligned with the at least one inductive coil, wherein the crucible wall and the at least one inductive coil are configured to form a space to contain the molten silicon, and wherein the at least one inductive coil is configured to generate an electromagnetic field to maintain a gap in the space between the molten silicon, the at least one inductive coil, and the at least one crucible wall.
A method of manufacturing cast silicon, comprising:
- placing at least one silicon seed on a plate;
- placing molten silicon onto the at least one seed;
- generating an electromagnetic field with at least one inductive coil to exert a force upon the molten silicon and form a gap between the molten silicon and the at least one inductive coil;
- and
- cooling the molten silicon from the plate.
A method of manufacturing cast silicon, comprising:
- placing at least one silicon seed on a plate;
- placing a silicon feedstock onto the at least one seed;
- supplying an electrical current to at least one inductive coils;
- generating heat with the at least one inductive coil to melt at least a portion of the silicon feedstock into molten silicon;
- generating an electromagnetic field with the at least one inductive coil to exert a force upon the molten silicon and form a gap between the molten silicon and the at least one inductive coil;
- and
- cooling the molten silicon from the plate to solidify at least a portion of the molten silicon into solid silicon ingot, wherein a liquid/solid interface between the molten silicon and the solid silicon ingot has a concave shape.
An apparatus for manufacturing a cast electronic material, comprising:
- a plate;
- a cooling device;
- and
- a plurality of inductive coils configured to form a space to contain molten electronic material, and configured to generate an electromagnetic field when an electrical current is supplied to the inductive coils to support the molten electronic material so that a gap is maintained in a portion of the space between at least one substantially vertical wall of the molten electronic material and at least one of the inductive coils, and when a portion of the molten electronic material solidifies into a solid ingot of the electronic material as the molten electronic material is cooled by the cooling device, a liquid/solid interface is formed between the molten electronic material and the solid ingot of the electronic material such that at the liquid/solid interface the solid ingot of electronic material is convex toward the interface and the liquid molten electronic material is concave toward the interface.
An apparatus for manufacturing cast electronic material, comprising:
- a plate;
- a cooling device;
- at least one inductive coil;
- and
- a crucible having at least one crucible wall vertically aligned with the at least one inductive coil, wherein the crucible wall and the at least one inductive coil are configured to form a space to contain molten electronic material, and wherein the at least one inductive coil is configured to generate an electromagnetic field to maintain a gap in the space between the molten electronic material, the at least one inductive coil, and the at least one crucible wall.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.